Cooper's Hawk in the snow

On my way to work during yesterday's snowstorm began with a spectacular site. A Cooper's Hawk was feeding on a fresh kill in the middle of my snow covered driveway. I initially didn't have my camera with me and I took a brief look through binoculars and then decided I needed to get going to work. I attempted to drive past the hawk but it was in no mood at all to move. I drove to within about 15 feet and it didn't seem fazed at all. After looking at the hawk for a few moments I decided I would back up the driveway and get my camera and see if I could get a few photos. I raced back up to the house and came back down to find the hawk still feeding. I drove to within 15 feet and leaned out the window to get some shots. The snow made it difficult to get as many shots as I wanted to get but I managed a few good ones. After several minutes I really needed to get moving so I drove closer. The hawk still would not move. I had no way around it so I inched a little closer. I was finally so close I could not see its full body past the nose of the car. I then leaned out and got a few more photos. It was so close at this point I could not fit the full body of the bird within the frame. As I was very rapidly becoming later and later for work I had to get by it. Only after I opened the door and moved toward it did it fly....about ten feet further down the driveway with the remains of the bird in its talons. It gave me a long look as I tried to inch by and it finally flew off into the woods to finish its meal in piece. A nice way to start a day despite the tough weather.